Hotaru
by what used to be meemee
Summary: It's the small things in life that are worth living for. YohXAnna. [Complete]


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Summary--It's the small things in life that are worth living for.

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Disclaimer--Do I really have to do this?

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For Kai 'nee-chan [_Ekai Ungson_], for pushing me to write Yoh/Anna [I love you!], Unmei-chan [_unmei_] and Suu-chan [_Subaru Shojo_], for reading and being a wonderful encouragement to me [and for the title! 3].

Hotaru

In the morning, she was always the one that rose first.

For a moment, the light blinded her, and then slowly her eyes came back into focus. She looked at the figure that lay next to her still in deep peaceful slumber, who sighed ever so gently with every breath.

She took both of his shoulders and shook him roughly. "Asakura Yoh," she said, loudly and sternly. "Up."

There was a small rumble from his throat, and he obstinately took the blankets and buried himself inside.

"Yoh," she admonished exasperatedly. "Yoh, get up."

She could hear his whining from under the covers, and she grasped the blankets firmly and pulled, dumping the unsuspecting Yoh on the cold ground. He yelped, scrambling up, his lower lip already protruded.

She looked at him sternly, with those murderous dark eyes, yet he only smiled, as if to laugh at her. She frowned her displeasure, slightly irritated, but said nothing. "I'll go make breakfast Anna," his smile was gentle, reassuring. And then he was gone, leaving only sunlight.

She wondered briefly, if they truly were meant for one another, then shook her head. There was no point in dwelling on these thoughts. After all, they were married, had been married—for how long? As if she kept track. It didn't matter. Not to her anyway.

The clanging of kitchen pots caught her attention, and she sighed a little. Some things would never change.

Like Yoh.

He knew, she thought suddenly, fleetingly. He knew how long they've been married. He always knew the unimportant things. The small things.

Then his voice, "Anna?"

"Coming," she called back, softly, but she knew he heard her. "I'm coming."

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She had ordered him in her firm and quiet way to buy groceries, so he set out, like he always did, after breakfast, grudgingly but obediently, knowing better than to dispute her commands.

She knew he would come home horribly late, grinning from ear to ear, sweaty and dirty, having been sidetracked somewhere she didn't care enough to know. Then she would chastise him, but he wouldn't be upset; he would just smile that little smile of his. Then she would order him to make lunch, but it would be too late, and they would go out to a ramen stand—him, enthusiastic, her, indifferent.

Then he'd want to visit someone, and drag her with him, and they'd go see Manta, Ryu, or Ren, maybe even Horohoro.

She noticed that he wasn't moving anymore, and turned to look at him. He was giving her a rather strange stare, but she raised a slender eyebrow, "Well? Hurry up." He nodded, and walked towards the sidewalk.

She returned absentmindedly to her previous thoughts. After that, they would go home, and have dinner and watch television or read, then go to bed. It had become a familiar daily routine for her.

It was a routine that she would miss if gone.

Her eyes stared into nothing ahead, and she wondered if Yoh was tired of this same routine day after day.

(She knew she never would be.)

Her eyes focused once more and she saw that he had almost disappeared from sight—still she gazed intently in that direction.

He turned around and smiled, a hand in the air. And everything would be okay.

Something in her eyes was irritating her, and her hand brushed across her eyes impatiently.

She went inside the house quietly, quickly, to do something, anything.

Her hand was wet.

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The black of night descended quickly, as it always did. The bright light of the sun went reluctantly, leaving behind the faintest glow that reflected on the moon.

Ren, she remembered, spoke of pollution, of the dark cloud that covered the stars. She didn't particularly care for humans, but Yoh did and that was enough for her. Besides, the stars sparkled clearly tonight, and she closed her eyes and basked in its light.

In the background was the sound of running water from the kitchen and the occasional clash and clang of pots. (Things that never changed.) Familiar sounds that she usually paid no heed to.

Then why tonight?

Instinctively, her thoughts moved away from this as she looked out into the dark night. It was cold, but she didn't really feel it. She supposed that she was numb. Then again, she had always been numb.

Her eyes were still closed, and the murmur of voices that she could never get away from buzzed in her ear. Voices of the ghosts and the living, above and below, then and now, forever and ever.

Suddenly, all went quiet, and he was here; there was no one else who could silence these voices after all.

He didn't speak for a moment, but she wasn't surprised. He never did talk much, unless it was something he was in a particularly passionate state, and he didn't really feel passionately for anything, except, she supposed, ghosts or Bob.

They sat there in silence for the moment when she saw him reach out a hand to seemingly envelop a star. She blinked in mild surprise as he brought the star towards them and opened his palm.

A firefly's light blinked, flickering, then steady, as it found its way out his palm.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" he remarked softly. "Like the stars."

She nodded, agreeing, "Yes," and noticing for the first time that most of what she had mistaken for stars were fireflies. Ren would've been mad, she thought. Those city lights covered the stars. He fell silent, and she wondered if he wanted to say more, but couldn't, because of her unresponsiveness.

Did it matter?

No. Nothing mattered.

It didn't particularly sadden her inside, but the voice of regret was still there, and she had a sudden impulse, "Are you happy Yoh?"

He was not surprised, to say the least, and she wasn't surprised either at his nonchalance.

"With me, I mean," she added in a subdued tone, but not less forceful than the first.

"Yes," he replied automatically, but she wasn't convinced. Automatically. People were trained to say these things. Who was to say that Yoh was the kind of person that wouldn't?

I would, she thought fiercely. Yoh wouldn't lie. He couldn't lie. Not to her anyway.

He smiled at her, and she looked away, staring into the night at the hazy glow of each firefly.

"I would miss this," he gestured into the air, as if motioning to something tangible, "if it were gone."

She did not reply. "Do you regret anything?" she asked, her tone still serious.

Just as seriously, "What do I have to regret?" he questioned back.

She bit her lip. "Everything," she spoke as if she just realized. "You have everything to regret Yoh." She blinked quickly, watching the flickering trails of light the fireflies made when they moved. Didn't he care? The weight of the world was on those slim shoulders—that terrible destiny that was forced onto him. And their marriage. Especially their marriage.

She wasn't surprised to see him shaking his head though. "I love my life Anna," he said quietly. "I don't have anything to regret. I'm happy." He paused, looking at her curiously. "Aren't you?"

She didn't answer; surely, he knew it already.

She heard him sigh, and she almost smiled, and closed her eyes. "I love you."

"I know." She felt his hand envelop hers. "I know."

- end -

Edit 7/23/04: More stuff rearranged, deleted, and more dashes! I'm such a dash whore now. oo

Edited: So yeah, rearranged a few things, deleted some unwanted things. Etc, etc.

Author's Notes: Yes I will finish Fleeting. No, I really did rush this fic. A semi-vignette/ficlette thing and my lousy attempt at Yoh and Anna's life after marriage. And trying desperately to keep them in character. Yes, I enjoy writing these sentence fragments that make no sense. The end. --;; I need a beta. Once again, thanks to Subaru Shojo for the title. 3 Much love.

meemee


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